The author of Jaws turns from fiction to fact as he shares his dramatic real-life experiences on and under the sea and offers advice on how to stay safe in the ocean. Peter Benchley here draws on more than 30 years of experience on and under the water, to help the reader approach the ocean and its inhabitants with the understanding and respect they deserve. He describes the many types of sharks, and the few that pose a genuine threat to man, what is and what is not known about shark behaviour, the odds against an attack, and how to reduce these odds even further, all reinforced by personal experience: the mistakes he has made and the personal perils he has encountered while producing countless articles and television documentaries as well as his novels. Benchley tells us how to swim safely, how to read tides and currents, and how to survive when danger suddenly strikes. He also discusses what to tell children about sharks and the sea and how to develop a healthy respect for the sea.